Rare United States Stamps and Covers continued...

VERY FINE. AN EXTRAORDINARY ONE-CENT 1851 ISSUE FRANKING FOR THE DOUBLE 5-CENT SHORE-TO-SHIP RATE, COMPRISING THREE SCARCE TYPE IB POSITIONS, INCLUDING 8R1E, ONE OF THE TWO BEST EXAMPLES OF THE TYPE.

The top row of the right pane of Plate 1 Early furnished several of the most desirable 1c 1851 stamps sought by collectors. Position 7R1E, Type I (Scott 5), is the rarest and most desirable. Next in line are the adjoining Positions 6 and 8R, both Type Ib (Scott 5A). Three other positions (3, 4 and 5R) furnished Type Ib stamps that show slightly less of the design at bottom.

On this transatlantic cover to France, which required a double 5c shore-to-ship rate due to weight, the 10c postage was paid by two 3c and four 1c stamps, an unusual franking in any event. Remarkably, the 1c stamps were carefully cut from the top row of the right pane of Plate 1 Early, just five months after the 1851 Issue was first placed on sale. From left to right, top to bottom, the positions are 4R, 5R, 8R and 1R1E. The first three stamps are Type Ib, and Position 8R1E is one of the two best examples of the type. The fourth stamp at lower right is Position 1R1E, Type II, which has a clear double transfer.

The total Scott Retail value of the four Type Ib stamps off cover is $22,500.00. The Scott premium for a cover bearing any Type Ib is 10%. However, the collector premium for a transatlantic usage and combination of rare stamps on one cover should be far greater.

With 1963 and 1987 P.F. certificates (Image)

FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE COVER WITH THE SCARCE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE IA IMPERFORATE.

Please see Chronicle 199 (August 2003) for an article documenting the Armitage correspondence. With 2002 A.P.S. certificate. (Image)

VERY FINE. ONE OF FOUR RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE ONE-CENT CHICAGO PERFORATION, OF WHICH THIS IS THE ONLY ONE BEARING A POSTMARK DATED MAY 29, 1856, THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED DATE OF USE. ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF THE ONE-CENT 1851-57 ISSUE.

The origin of the Chicago perforation was revealed in an article published by Jerome S. Wagshal in the Chronicle 130 (May 1986). To briefly summarize Mr. Wagshal's revelations, the inventor of the machine used to create the Chicago Perf stamps was Dr. Elijah W. Hadley, a Chicago dentist. He probably constructed the machine in 1854. Over a two-year period, beginning in November 1854, Dr. Hadley's device was offered for sale to the Post Office Department thru R. K. Swift, a prominent Chicago banker and businessman. The distinctive 12-1/2 gauge Chicago Perf was applied to sheets of the 1c (Plates 1 Late and 2) and 3c 1851 Issue, the former being considerably rarer.

According to the updated census of Chicago Perf items compiled by W. Wilson Hulme II (Chronicle 175, Aug. 1997), approximately 18 examples of the 1c Chicago Perf have been recorded, including four used on covers. These are: 1) Type II, Plate 2 (not plated), tied by Chicago May 29, 1856 datestamp on P. L. Wells May 28, 1856 circular to Armitage, the cover offered here, 2) Type II, Plate 2 (not plated), "Paid" cancel (no dated postmark), on P. L. Wells May 28, 1856 circular to Edmonstone & Co., Montreal, Canada, PFC, ex Ishikawa, Siegel 1983 Rarities sale, lot 32 (realized $6,250 hammer), 3) Type II, Position 95L2, tied by grid cancel on P. L. Wells circular to Sheppard & Morgan, NYC, ex Jefferys, currently in the Franklin Institute, and 4) Type II, Position 48R2, "Paid" cancel on Lake View Water Cure circular (no date), Ashbrook Vol. II, p. 26, the current whereabouts or state of this cover are unknown. Summarizing the census data, there are currently four 1c Chicago Perf covers known, all Type II from Plate 2, one of which is part of the Franklin Institute's collection. Of the three in private hands, one has not been seen and is known only from Ashbrook's description. Therefore, only two confirmed covers are in private hands, both of which are May 28, 1856 printed circulars. The Armitage cover offered here is the only 1c Chicago Perf with a dated postmark (May 29, 1856).

Please see Chronicle 199 (August 2003) for an article documenting the Armitage correspondence. With 2000 A.P.S. certificate. Listed but unpriced on cover in Scott. (Image)

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS ONE OF TWO KNOWN IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER BLOCKS OF THE PLATE PROOF ON INDIA.

Page 9 of the Brazer book illustrates the block of 60 from which this plate block was cut. The left pane of 100 was located in the estate of Walter Keightley and sold thru Christie's in 1991. The original sheet of 200 from Plate 4 was sent to Derby, England, for a perforating experiment and was cancelled to prevent use as postage.

Listed but unpriced in Scott. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE SHEET-MARGIN EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1856 ISSUE WITH FULL GUIDELINE. VERY FEW EXIST.

Our ongoing census of off-cover sheet margin examples of Scott 12 contains twelve singles with imprint and an additional thirteen with sheet margin, including three with corner margins.

Ex Mayer. With 2002 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL USED 5-CENT 1856 STAMP.

With 2002 P.F. certificate (Image)